Need a parents' perspective...

[.45Fats]

so a bit of back story quick here...

I was loading up a couple of rifles into the truck this morning to go shoot with some friends a surprising and offensive pastime to be sure but I'm just a bad person like that...anyway, as I was loading everything into the back seat a kid from the neighborhood rode up on his bicycle and asked me if those were guns(one of the cases makes it kinda obvious) I told him yes they were for target shooting. He asked if he could look at them, I told him I'd do one better and teach him everything I could about them, but first he'd have to get his mom or dad to come down and talk with me this afternoon or tomorrow. I thought it was a nice offer...

His mom came down this evening and she disagreed quite a bit, not nice things were said which hurt my rather tender feelings...you all know what a sap I am... Anyway after we had our philosophical disagreement she said that I owed her an apology for making her the bad guy while I disagree with well most everything else I did feel bad about that part...

so the question to you parents out there is, in the future (because I'll tell anyone kid or adult that wants to learn more all I can about firearms etc), how can I phrase it so that I don't put the parents in a bad situation?

and do you think I was wrong to begin with?

Thanks

 

[Shootin 4 Fun]

She's a psycho, don't waste your breath.

 

[kroberts2131]

This is probably the worst place to ask that question. Call me crazy but we would all probably agree that you did the right thing. Now if you showed him the guns and let him handle them without permission then its another story. But telling him to get the parents advice is the RIGHT thing to do, guns or not.

 

[tRidiot]

She's a psycho, don't waste your breath.

Agreed...

Ask her if she would have been equally as mad if you'd offered to teach him how to fish, fix a motor, build a chicken coop or reformat a computer?

All of these are useful skills, not a single one of which is explicitly mentioned as a protected inherent right in the founding documents of our great nation. None of which will ever likely be used to save his life, either.

 

[Porter]

That's ridiculous! Did she happen to be wearing a t-shirt that said something to the effect of "Yes We Can!"?

 

[.45Fats]

lol guys... not asking for that at all...I know on this forum not many will argue with the offer I made.

instead I'm asking what I can do in the future to not make it hard on the parent, or if there's anything that can be done?
I won't pick on her for the way she wants to raise her kids that's not place.

and I only threw in the part about did I do something wrong because I want someone who see this and thinks I was way out of line to post that too and why.

Thanks for the quick responses.

 

[Shoot Summ]

It was right to allow the parents the say in the situation. It was wrong the way she handled it, she could have told her child that she wasn't comfortable with it, and that they would address it some other time. Making you the bad guy was weak on her part.

 

[Blinocac200sx]

You did the right thing. Not your problem if she can't handle the real world, or educate her kids to live in it. Keep track of that young man and when he's 18, take him to the range.

 

[DanB]

take it in steps. Kid asked to sit in the car you offered to let him drive it. If they want to look at the guns, tell them that they will have to go get one of their parents and get their permission first. Then if that goes smoothly offer to give him some instruction on firearms and some time shooting.

 

[RaysZ71]

This is probably the worst place to ask that question. Call me crazy but we would all probably agree that you did the right thing. Now if you showed him the guns and let him handle them without permission then its another story. But telling him to get the parents advice is the RIGHT thing to do, guns or not.

I agree with this 100%.